Dan Lanning and Oregon walked out of Columbus with the kind of win that changes the conversation around a season. The Ducks beat No. 12 Ohio State 41-28 on Saturday, and the story of the game was the same from the opening burst to the final whistle: Oregon absorbed an early 14-0 deficit, then ripped off 38 straight points to take control.
A huge part of that turnaround was the way Oregon handled Jeremiah Smith. The Buckeyes’ top threat, and a Heisman favorite, was largely taken out of the game for most of the night. From late in the first quarter until the fourth quarter, he didn’t catch a pass, and the Ducks’ secondary kept him quiet while Ohio State’s offense stalled.
Smith’s frustration showed up late in the third quarter, when he was caught screaming at his sideline after Ify Obidegwu allowed him to make a catch that went for no more than a yard. That was his first reception since the first quarter, and it came after a long stretch in which he had been bottled up.
He also had a chance to make an early difference and didn’t. Smith dropped a potential touchdown pass that he normally brings in, a missed opportunity that fit the way the night was going for Ohio State.
By the time Smith finally started producing, the game had already slipped away. Oregon had built a massive lead and was playing backups when he came back in and made his presence felt. He scored a touchdown on Aaron Scott Jr., who had played just 7 snaps for the Ducks in an 84-0 win before this game, and then added a stepover celebration.
The box score will show Smith with 7 catches for 133 yards and a touchdown, which will look like another big night on paper. But that doesn’t tell the full story. He was held in check when the game was still alive, and Ohio State never got the game-changing version of him when it needed it most.
For Oregon, that was the key. The Ducks set out to slow Smith and keep him from hitting explosive plays, and they did exactly that while the outcome was still in doubt. By the time Smith piled up numbers in garbage time, Oregon had already made its point.
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Dan Lannings Aggression Just Put Ohio State On Notice
Oregon spent the first quarter in a hole against Ohio State, but the Ducks did not spend long playing it safe. A successful fake punt helped flip the tone, and Dan Lannings group kept leaning into an aggressive approach on offense until it had clawed its way to a 17-14 halftime lead, a swing that said as much about confidence as it did about execution.
Afterward, Lanning framed the performance around identity, stressing that Oregon has to keep playing like itself if it wants to keep putting pressure on elite opponents. He also pointed to the need to cut down on turnovers, a reminder that the Ducks boldness only works if it is paired with cleaner football, and that balance will matter even more as the stakes keep rising. [Read more 🡒]
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The Buckeyes still have a few names on the doubtful list, including some wide receivers and a linebacker, but oddsmakers still have Ohio State favored at home. For Oregon, the setting alone makes this a major test, and the injury picture only adds to the challenge of trying to leave Columbus with a statement win and keep playoff hopes on the strongest possible footing. [Read more 🡒]